Method for increasing shelf life of fruit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for increasing the shelf life of fruit comprising the steps of: treating a fruit with UV light from a UV light source, packaging the fruit in packaging film that allows the fruit to be stored in a modified atmosphere within the packaging film, and storing the packaged fruit, wherein the fruit has a high dry-matter content.

1 . A method for increasing the shelf life of fruit comprising the steps of:
 i) treating a fruit with UV light from a UV light source,   ii) packaging the fruit in packaging film that allows the fruit to be stored in a modified atmosphere within the packaging film, and   iii) storing the packaged fruit,   wherein the fruit has a high dry-matter content;   wherein the packaging film is a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) film, wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 8000 cc/m 2 /day to about 17500 cc/m 2 /day; and   wherein the method is capable of increasing the shelf life of the packaged fruit by at least 1 day or 2 days when the packaged fruit is stored at a chilled temperature;   and/or   wherein the method is capable of increasing the shelf life of the packaged fruit by at least 1 day or 2 days when the packaged fruit is stored at an ambient temperature;   and/or   wherein the method is capable of increasing the shelf life of the packaged fruit by at least 1 day or 2 days when the packaged fruit is first stored at a chilled temperature followed by storage at an ambient temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the fruit has a dry-matter content of at least 26%, 28%, 30%, 32% or 34%. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the modified atmosphere within the packaging film has a reduced O 2  concentration compared to the environment surrounding the packaged fruit. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the modified atmosphere within the packaging film has an increased CO 2  concentration compared to the environment surrounding the packaged fruit. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the modified atmosphere within the packaging film comprises ozone. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , comprising a further step of introducing ozone into the modified atmosphere within the packaging film. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 13000 cc/m 2 /day to about 16000 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 14000 cc/m 2 /day to about 15000 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 14300 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  9  wherein the modified atmosphere within the packaging film comprises from about 9% to about 13% O 2  and/or from about 7% to about 13% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at a chilled temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  9  wherein the modified atmosphere within the packaging film comprises from about 6% to about 10% O 2  and/or from about 9% to about 16% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  11  wherein softening of the fruit is reduced. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the fruit has a reduction in firmness of no more than about 40% after storage at a chilled temperature for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12 days post-packaging; and/or wherein the fruit has a reduction in firmness of no more than about 55% after storage at an ambient temperature for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12 days post-packaging; and/or wherein the fruit has a reduction in firmness of no more than about 55% after first storage at a chilled temperature for up to 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days or 6 days post-packaging followed by storage at an ambient temperature for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12 days post-packaging. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  13 , wherein the incidence of rot in the packaged fruit is reduced. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the rot is stem end rot and/or anthracnose. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14  or  15 , further comprising a step of positioning the fruit in a holder such that the stem faces the UV light source during the treatment with UV light. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  16  wherein the fruit is treated with UV light before and/or during and/or after packaging the fruit. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  17  wherein the UV light is UV-C light. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  18  wherein the UV light has a wavelength of between about 100 nm and about 280 nm, or between about 200 nm and about 270 nm, or between about 240 nm and about 270 nm, or between about 250 nm and about 260 nm, or about 254 nm. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  19  wherein the fruit is treated with a dose of UV light in the range of about 20 mJ/cm 2  to about 40 mJ/cm 2 , or about 25 mJ/cm 2  to about 35 mJ/cm 2 , or about 30 mJ/cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  20  wherein the fruit is exposed to the UV light for about 1 to about 10 seconds, or about 1 to about 5 seconds, or for about 3 seconds. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  21  wherein the distance between the source of UV light and the fruit is about 10 mm to about 100 mm, or about 30 mm to about 70 mm, or about 50 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  22  wherein the packaged fruit is stored at a chilled temperature. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein the packaged fruit is stored at about 3° C. to about 10° C., or about 3° C. to about 7° C., or about 5° C. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  22  wherein the packaged fruit is stored at an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the packaged fruit is stored at an ambient temperature from about 14° C. to about 20° C., or from about 14° C. to about 18° C., or about 16° C. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  26  wherein the packaging film is coated with an antimist composition. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  27  wherein the fruit is a ripen-at-home fruit. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  28  wherein the fruit is avocado. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29  wherein the avocado is an avocado cultivar selected from the group consisting of Hass, Natures Hass, Muluma Hass, Lamb Hass, Gem®, Carmen, Fuerte, Pinkerton, Ryan, Reed, Linda, Carla, Ettinger, Lula, Semil, Bacon, Gwen, Zutano, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         31 . A packaged fruit prepared by the method according to any one of the preceding claims. 
     
     
         32 . A fruit packaging apparatus having
 a) a UV light source;   b) a fruit packer comprising a packaging film wherein said fruit packer is configured to package a fruit in the packaging film that allows the fruit to be stored in a modified atmosphere within the packaging film;   c) a surface for holding the fruit wherein the surface is movable between the UV light source and the fruit packer so that the fruit can be exposed to the UV light source and fruit packer sequentially;   wherein the packaging film is a MAP film, wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 8000 cc/m 2 /day to about 17500 cc/m 2 /day.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the fruit is held in the apparatus such that the stem faces the UV light source during the treatment with UV light. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 32  or  33  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 13000 cc/m 2 /day to about 16000 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 32  or  33  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 14000 cc/m 2 /day to about 15000 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 32  or  33  wherein the MAP film has an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of about 13400 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 6% to about 20% O 2  and/or from about 6% to about 14% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at a chilled temperature. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 9% to about 13% O 2  and/or from about 7% to about 13% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at a chilled temperature. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 8% to about 14% O 2  and from about 5% to about 15% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at a chilled temperature. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 6% to about 12% O 2  and/or from about 6% to about 14% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 6% to about 10% O 2  and/or from about 9% to about 16% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 32  to  36  wherein the MAP film is configured to maintain a modified atmosphere comprising from about 6% to about 10% O 2  and from about 6% to about 18% CO 2  after 10 days post-packaging storage at an ambient temperature.